New Dimension
by Ban'mejin
Summary: The Unity is still inbound, the crew content. But the sudden appearance of five strangers in the secure spacecrafts engine room is about to precipitate a series of events that will forever mark the Unity, its mission and ultimately the entire entire planet.
1. 1 Unexpected Arrivals

Prologue: _The Diary of Jonathan Flynn._

The easiest way to explain it to you is a faint. I don't know whether you've ever fainted before but it's kind of surreal. If you get the time to feel it, it gets warm and fuzzy about you, your temples throb and your eyes blink slower. Then one time you blink and in that space of time you go from standing up to on your back, from on your own to surrounded by people asking you if you're ok, and fanning you with anything they can fetch at the time. And far from warm and fuzzy; you ache, you're cold and shivery and you ache.

Well that's a faint at least. You're dehydrated, or you hate injections. Then this happens to you, what happened to us? What happened to me and four strangers I had never met, well we fainted. One second we were fine at work, at home, driving along the motorway and then suddenly we were far away, too far, further than you could move in a blink of an eye. And it was cold, very cold.

This diary, which if you are reading means I was not successful, is the only legacy of the true origin of the events that have shaped our recent history. How five people whose only common trait was to have fallen unconscious at the same time, were the instruments of all these changes.

Chapter One: _Unexpected Arrivals_

It was dark, which was odd because just a second ago the hospital lights had been so strong, the pallid green yellow reflecting off every surface. Now a small yellow flashing light above his head was Jonathan's only point of reference, he reached out for it, his arms were strangely slow, as if weighed down, was that the lack of blood? Jonathan had never given blood before, he'd warned them he was no good with needles but that didn't mean, "when I go under chuck me in the cupboard till i'm better", had he been out for hours?

It was the smell that worried him, or rather the lack of smell, where once there had been antiseptic and freshly opened vacuum packed equipment, all the odours of a mobile blood bank, there was nothing. In this dark room with its lone flashing light there was not a whiff of the hospitals familiar, if sickening, scent.

Jonathan rested his hand on the light, obscuring it and watching the orange glow through his fingers, on, off, on, off… off. The light had stopped flashing. He pulled his hand back and waited, suddenly there was a great hissing all about him as though a hundred hair-dryers had been pointed at him at once. He was suddenly aware of how little gravity was keeping him on the floor, he was tossed up and thrown against a wall, which in turn flew open and deposited him onto a cold metal deck. His mind whirled as it tried to come to terms with suddenly being thrown through a chute he hadn't expected to even be there. The sudden upturning of where he'd thought up even was left his head spinning.

The deck was narrow, little more than a walkway covering crowded with pipes, the metal gantry covered similar arrays of wiring and pipes below its roughly circular expanse. Jonathan crashed across this walkway into a similar hatch, just in time to catch the man flying out of it.

They crashed into a pile on the floor, Jonathan fought the confused man off, panting as much from the exertion as from the sheer mental effort of trying to process just where he was and what was happening. The nearest his brain was coming to understanding the corridor was to conjure images of submarines and sewer pipes. Varied images were flashing in front of his eyes so fast he could barely think. The man's loud complaints helped him focus, looking down he noticed the blood, the man's leg was clearly broken, his light tracksuit was soaked in blood. He hadn't done that had he?

The man was quickly quietening, his whitened fists clutched at his torn leg, as he moaned softly into his damp tracksuit. Grasping that there was a task here Jonathan could set himself to he rose and grabbing the man's arm hoisted him to his shoulder. Naturally a slight person, Jonathan was surprised how easily he accomplished this. Yet again he was aware of how strange the gravity in this place felt. Perhaps this was a side effect of being so deep under water.

The man's face was drenched in sweat, Jonathan examined the weathered skin beneath it, despite himself Jonathan could not guess the man's age, he pictured the man as a fisherman, or some kind of outdoors man, the weather doing the job advanced years normally would take care of.

The man noticing his sudden alteration of fortunes looked up at Jonathan, "who are you?"

"I'm Jonathan… sir, what's your name?"

"Earl,"

"Well Earl there must be a medic on this boat, lets see if we can't get you some help."

"Boa…"

Earl never finished his question, they had barely taken two steps when the hissing began again and the two hatches that had produced them earlier abruptly coughed out another pair, it was not these two that were of concern to Jonathan and Earl but the third hatch they had not seen, directly above them.

The young lady thrown from this tumbled into them, eliciting a pained scream from Earl and a muted _umph_ from Jonathan. All about them were renewed shouts and bellows. Jonathan quickly picked himself up, hoisting up Earl and propping him against the wire laden wall of the narrow corridor. He extended a hand to the woman at his feet. She was younger than he was, barely a teenager, she was wearing what looked like pyjamas, but the speed she shot up from the ground confirmed she had definitely not been asleep when she, like the others Jonathan suddenly realised, had fallen unconscious. The girl looked warily at him then around at her new surroundings, "What the hell is this?!" Despite himself Jonathan laughed, "I wish I knew."


	2. 2 Sudden Dawn

II - _The Diary of Jonathan Flynn._

I still remember the first days, so much suspicion, so much fear. We were lost in another world, but it was them, those supposed heroes of humanity that really felt it. Perhaps if we'd known what was in store for us we'd have been afraid as well.

I sometimes wonder if home every really existed. Somehow things like supermarkets and drive-through restaurants seem so unreal, so unlikely. I sit here in front of my computer screen and I ask myself, just what is it I'm trying to get back too? Just what was so good about home that I'm so desperate to get there at all costs?

Chapter Two: _Sudden Dawn_

There wasn't time for introductions. Earl's leg took everyone's attention. With the help of the young girl Jonathan hoisted him up from the ground. They began to struggle forward. Behind them followed two other men, the first a slight built dark haired fellow who had the look of a man convinced he is dreaming and finding no problem with what he was seeing. Same too the other man, though if Jonathan had been able to see he would have thought it an altogether more distressing sort of expression. If he had seen it he would have said it was a mix of intense fear and utter joy. The latter being the look that he would have been disturbed by. This second man, much wider and wearing only stained pyjamas followed last of all.

The party reached a solid steel bulkhead, with some scrambling around the edges and copious amounts of swearing from the girl, along with groans from Earl, they managed to activate the electronic locks. With a whirring hiss the door slid open, disappearing into the wall at their side. Before them the darkened compartment began to light up immediately. At first just two lines of green shot away from them on the floor, separating out some distance away they began to trace out the diverging walkways through a large circular open deck. As computer screens began to click into life the group stumbled out onto the first gangway. "Some kind of science lab" the dark haired man muttered from behind them, "or a ship" came the faltering almost awed reply from his larger companion.

Jonathan and the girl lowered Earl down into the first place they could find, a deep chair surrounded by a bank of computers, the screens of which eagerly burst into life when Earl was settled. "Looks like it's all set up to turn itself on." Earl looked at the screens, Jonathan could tell he didn't really care, but it seemed to take his mind off his leg. "See if you can get a map of this place up, find an infirmary for you." Earl laughed, then started to cough, "ha, save myself now eh?" Jonathan smiled weakly. He turned to the girl that had helped him, "thanks, name's Jonathan." "Liz... Elizabeth, but call me Liz." "Hi Liz" The dark haired man sat down next to Earls chair, Jonathan slid down next to Liz, "I'm Thomas," the man said, extending a hand. Jonathan shook it, "Jonathan" "Liz" the girl smiled from the other side of Jonathan. "What happened to you?" she asked softly, "You mean before this whole abduction thing?" Liz smiled, "yeah before that." "I lost a tonne of money, that wasn't mine, then I lost my job over the phone and my wife walked out. Guess I didn't take it all that well." Thomas smiled weakly. Liz stood up suddenly, "hey wasn't there a big fat guy with you?" Thomas looked around, "yeah, bastard fell on me when we fell out of that… whatever it was."

They all stood, "any luck Earl?" Jonathan asked quickly as he scanned the dimly lit room. Earl shook his head, "damned if I get this machine, it wants some kind of code, I just keep clicking activate but it just keeps sending me pictures of god knows what. See? What's that? Looks like a giant metal toothbrush, god knows." He hissed suddenly as his movements knocked his leg into the chairs edge, "could do with this sorting, god's sake." "We're gonna go look for that other guy, we'll find someone to help." Liz patted him on the back, "right lads, split up, lets hunt!"

They separated, each standing at a different hatch, with final waves they each jumped through into a different corridor. The room they had left Earl in was a large open plan bubble, clustered with computer screens and readouts, split across and down by the green lit walkways, suspended over wiring and pipes just like the corridor they had arrived in. Jonathan took the stairs downwards, leaving Thomas and Liz to take the forward and back hatches. As he stepped through each dividing hatch, some of which were open, others not, the green lights flickered into life, giving him just enough light to go by. Looking behind him he could see the lights sputter out again as he passed.

He made his way slowly through three similar hatch separated sections. In his head he still couldn't shake the idea of a giant submarine. He just couldn't think how they could have all been brought here without being aware of it. His thoughts were interrupted as he pushed the next hatch open. The air temperature dropped significantly, he could feel the air start to scratch at his lungs. The railing he had been following was covered in ice and the lights that guided him had changed to an icy blue.

He had worked in a supermarket over summer, and visions of walk in freezers full of chicken dinners and ice cream tubs filled his head. He hadn't realised how hungry he was. But as the blue light spread Jonathan began to realise just where he was. The chamber before him was enormous, he could see a great distance before him, above and below his walkway the chamber stretched into a pure white mist of icy air. But this massive space was far from empty. Clustered in packs of eight and huddled together all through the room where large bathtub like capsules. Jonathan had watched enough sci-fi to know what he was looking at. It was cryogenics, or cryostatics, he forgot which. But it was freezing people! Thomas was right, this place was some kind of scientific lab.

He walked on slowly the icy blue lines preceeding him. As he went he suddenly noticed a patch of icy blue ahead of him, distinct from his own progress. It was sputting slowly into darkness as he hurried towards it. He arrived at a bank of machines but couldn't see where the light had gone to. If it was someone else in here they'd vanished. His attention turned to the computer readout infront of him still blinking feebly in the dark. Suddenly the dim light flashed green and spread across the whole panel. Above him eight of the tub sized pods began to hiss violently. He stepped off the walkway onto the platform that ran below the tubs. A computer panel at the clusters base proclaimed they were being 'warmed'. He guessed their sudden arrival was waking these people up, whoever they were. As he walked round he suddenly came face to face with a pod. It had already lowered to the gangway he occupied, and it was empty. Whoever these people were, one of them was already awake.


	3. 3 Revelations

III - _The Diary of Jonathan Flynn._

I think they saw us coming. To this day I have no idea how it happened, but they took advantage of it regardless. Too much happened in those first days, we all felt like we were blundering in the dark, and yet I think each one of them knew what they were going to do. Each one of them had a vision and a purpose. Some of them terrible, some of them wonderful, some even a bit of both. Then as much as now I just try and survive people's dreams as they come to life.

Chapter Three: _Revelations_

Jonathan

Jonathan was running now, throwing himself through the open doorways he had so painstakingly made his way through moments earlier. He raced round corners before the floor lighting had time to adapt to his pace, he threw his hands forward, trusting to the predictably similar interior of the corridors. With a smile he came panting to the stairway he had descended to get onto this level. Taking the steps two at a time he flew up into the control pod they had left Earl in.

He was gone. Not a trace of the man remained but for a slight red trace of blood from where he had been sat. He looked about him, then down beneath the gangway to the open spaces beneath, could he have fallen, "Earl?" He yelled at the top of his lungs, but received no reply. He was going to call again but a tapping noise took his attention. Turning to one of the corridors level to him Jonathan strained his ears. The tapping was growing louder, and fast. Suddenly he realised, it was boots, thick boots stamping fast on the metal of the corridors plate floor.

Jonathan backed away, there was nowhere to hide on this ship, "Earl?" He mumbled quietly to the door, not believing for a moment it was him. The pacing grew louder and suddenly the hatch ahead of him hissed aside. A man emerged, dressed in a dark jumpsuit with black patterned lines criss-crossing it. His thick army style boots were clearly metal capped and there was a baton strapped to his waste. Jonathan stared at the man's face, "Tom?!"

Thomas smiled impishly, "look at all this!" He gestured to himself. "There's like a hundred rooms just full of stuff, I took this one from a room with a helicopter, pretty cool eh?" Jonathan just nodded mutely, then with some effort he said, "Earl's gone." He paused, "and someone else is awake, someone all _that_ probably belongs to. You scared the shit out of me!" Tom just smiled, "If this bothers you wait till you see this, I worked out where we are, come look!" Jonathan's mouth hung open, Thomas just seemed oblivious to the revelation he had just received, or to how much of a problem Earl's disappearance was, or what the owners of this ship would do when they found out some newcomers had been stealing their kit.

But tom had already headed off back down the corridor, gesturing franticly, "come on Jonny". They passed through a dozen hatchways, unlike Jonathan's which had been a simple corridor each section of Tom's had doorways leading off it that, as he'd left some open, revealed gigantic storage rooms. "That's where I got the suit, but this one at the end's the best." Thomas was nearly running by the time they reached the corridors end. The corridor ended in a hatchway like any other. Stamped across the doors face was a single word, _Unity_. "What you suppose that means?" Tom shrugged, "not the door I brought you to see, look!" With a theatrical gesture Tom opened the hatch, he bowed low and made a few other gestures but Jonathan was ignoring him. What he was seeing was just impossible.

He was stood in what felt like a giant goldfish bowl, upended and sealed by the entrance of the hatchway. And all about him, swimming in infinity was space. He turned slowly, staring at the myriad of stars, each sharp as crystal and bright as newborn flame, with no speck of atmosphere or light to interfere with their light. As his gaze widened he discerned a slight bluish tinge, he guessed this must be what it was like inside a nebula, or whatever it was they were moving through. And they were moving that much was obvious, and fast. Staring down Jonathan finally saw it. The ship.

They were on a space ship! He knew in that single moment that this was nothing like anything he had dreamed. The giant skeletal frame that spread away behind and below him was like no ship he had ever even heard of. He turned to tom unable to find words, tom smiled back, "a new start. Whatever this is it isn't Earth, we're somewhere new!" Jonathan suddenly felt the strength drain from his legs, he fell to his knees, hands pressing against the clear glass. All right if you wanted to leave it all behind, he thought. Where are we, with who and why? He gasped for air, suddenly his mind was churning, all the questions, all he'd lost. The storm of thoughts smashed around inside him, he felt bile rising in his throat. Tom placed his hand on Jonathan s shoulder. "Even if you just want out mate, we are stuck on this ship for now. We have to work out who owns it and what they're up to. We have to work together, its time to go to work."

Jonathan took deep shuddering breaths as all about him the darkness of space swam. His mind slowly cleared. Tom was right, they weren't in some research station or military submarine, they couldn't just jump ship, all they had was one another.

"Let's find Earl, and Liz, then we get the hell out of here!"

Earl

He hadn't seen the man emerge from the hatchway below him, Earl, despite the pain in his leg, had finally managed to access the computer system. He'd never liked computers, too much fiddly nonsense, then it would always break for no reason. But the computer he was sat at was quick and very helpful and, he was quickly discovering, had records on everything. He'd begun just by typing in simple things, 'map' 'infirmary' 'medical' things like that. After getting nothing but daft drawings of what he'd named the giant toothbrush Earl had hit upon another idea. At the moment the man emerged he was deeply involved in the history files on the computer's memory.

The flashing yellow _Datalink_ symbol hovered over his head as a video feed displayed in quick succession images from Earth, most Earl recognised from the news but some were new, especially when the images started to depict the building of this ship. It seemed as if the whole world had clubbed together on this, all working for a man who kept popping up, his broad smile and winning wave the same on every shot, and a badge proudly displayed, Morgan Ind. "Must be some kind of franchise thing" Earl mumbled to himself. But how come he'd missed it on the news. Did celebrity gossip really trump the building of a gigantic toothbrush with rockets on it?

He was fast forwarding the video feed onwards trying to find where the ship was moored, if there was a way of getting out, if they were close enough to land to swim for it, when a pair of arms grabbed his shoulders from behind. Earl felt the prick of a needle and yelled out, the pain from his leg vanished, and then so did everything else as he blacked out.

"ell me…" Earl felt a jab of pain interrupting his dream, he tried to go back to sleep, back to his daughter's wedding, he was enjoying the memory, "... ake up, spy!" With a yell Earl was fully awake, his vision swam but as he focused he recognised the shadow of a man stood over him. He was in a new room, dimly lit and small, with the table he was lying on the only furniture. There was another surge of pain, "talk, now." The man was pushing some kind of truncheon into Earls wounded leg, he could feel the broken bones scraping together, he nearly blacked out again, "please... arr... stop!" The man paced the room, "what do I care for your suffering?" Earl stared, "what? Please, what's happening?" The man turned to face him, he was quite short, with shock white hair revealing his age, yet the man exuded strength and determination. A badge on his chest proclaimed _Commander_. With sudden horror Earl realised. The man before him was clearly military and looked Asian, this must be a Chinese boat, he'd get tortured just for being American, communists hated Americans! "Erm, look I dunno how I got on your ship, but i'm sure if you just put us off a the next stop..." The man strode back to the table slamming his baton back onto Earl's wounded leg, Earl screamed but the man continued, "so there's more of you!" Earl gasped for breath trying to overcome the pain and think, his eyes rolled in their sockets as his vision swam, in the haze they fell upon the hatchway, it had a small glass window at its top, Earl swore he saw the two young men who had come with him; Jonathan and someone, he forgot the name. He realised with pain blurred clarity, he mustn't tell this maniac there were other people on board, not until he knew it was safe, "no... no just me", he gasped, "now who's in charge, I want to see your cap...aaaarrrr" The man had slammed the rod against his leg again. "You are in no position to make demands spy! What were you searching for?" Earl gulped in air, trying not to fall back into unconsciousness, "a way home, honestly i'm not meant to be here, look at me, you ever seen a spy arrive this beat up?" The man stared at him, "well one part of this is true, you most certainly are not meant to be here." He paced around the room again, "perhaps I should just put you off, we have an air... an exit just up the corridor." Earl's eyes brightened, could he leave, but what about the others? But the man seeing his reaction moved close to his face, "or is that exactly what you want?" Earl tried not to move, the man was clearly mad.

The man slammed his leg again, "is that what you want spy, to escape!" The final blow was too much Earl began to fall back into darkness, as he fell he heard the door opening, the boys must be here to stop the man, they had to run, "no..." he mumbled weakly. As his sight faded he heard raised voices, a name... Yang, and then darkness.

Liz

It had been hard to walk away into the dark corridor, Liz had half hoped they could have gone together, why had she even suggested looking! As she moved forward she kept as much to the edge as she could, hoping it would help her blend in. Whatever this place was it was clearly military, and the army had guns, guns they liked to shoot trespassers with. Her corridor continued on through a dozen hatchways, her only companion the swimming blue lines that lit the floor. After a while Liz stopped creeping along and just walked, hitting each hatch control nonchalantly she strode through the ship, was it a ghost ship, wasn't there anything?

As if in answer Liz emerged from the last hatch to something new. Two corridors, one climbed up to the left the other continuing on. Leaning on the banister of the left hand walkway she peered up, it looked like the stairway curved back on itself heading back the way she had come, the right hand corridor seemed to head in her direction. She put her hand on the hatch that covered the entrance to the right hand walkway. But before she could open it she felt the vibration. Despite being sealed she swore she could see a sudden flash of light around the doors edges. Whatever was behind this door was shaking this entire part of the ship. For a second Liz imagined some hideous monster, like any good horror movie this would be the point when the dumb blonde let the thing out.

She pulled a lock of hair back from in front of her eyes. Then realising she was now squatting by the door she stood up, dusted herself off. "come on Elizabeth, nothing to fear." She strode forward, then hesitating, closed her eyes and pushed the hatch control.

There was an immense roar and air surged through the open hatch, Liz fell back against the wall and threw her hands over her face. As a claw filled death failed to appear she peered through her fingers and suddenly beheld the origin of the noise.

She stepped out into the room, mouth agape, onto a high platform rising above a great empty space, well a great space but certainly not empty. Filling the immense room was the largest reactor Liz had ever seen. At least thats what it had to be, the giant throbbing machine was making the whole room shake, the heat and light was incredible. Yet if it resembled anything it was like the pictures she'd seen of those new nuclear plants they were building five miles from her home. All space age and silvery.

She had a sudden flash of arguments at the village hall about "blots on the landscape" and almost laughed. Shaking the image off she put her hand on the railing ahead of her, she should find a way down, investigate. Anything this powerful had to have someone looking after it.

Before she could descend the walkway ahead of her though a strange scent caught her attention. Drifting on the air currents it certainly didn't belong in the factory setting she had found herself. Then suddenly it hit her, wild garlic! The plant had grown everywhere where she had grown up, its smell was unmistakable.

She sniffed the air, trying to breath it in, but all she got for her trouble was lungs full of grease and hot metal from the reactor. She took a few steps back, the smell was stronger. Suddenly she realised, whatever the smell was it wasn't from in here, the circulating air was bringing it from somewhere else. She turned and stepped back through the hatch to the junction. The smell was stronger! Excited now she raced up the left hand corridor, It did curve round over itself, stretching on top of the corridor she had just moved down. After no more than a dozen paces along it suddenly veered left again.

She stood before a final hatch, she was sure it was through here. Excitedly scratching at the panel she didn't notice how this entire corridor was wreathed in darkness, no blue lights had followed her. The door refused to budge. She yelled at it, "hey!" She hit the door. But still it didn't move. Suddenly Liz realised for the first time no blue strips accompanied her. "No power." She muttered and took a step back, "humph" She stared at the door, well it was just silly to imagine there wasn't a way to open it without electricity. She felt around the hinges, running her hands all along the walls around the door she still found nothing. "Its back here" Liz jumped as a voice drifted from the darkness, with a sudden hiss the hatchway slid open, Liz had meant to turn and address the voice behind her but the sight before her was too compelling, "my god, it's beautiful."


	4. 4 Mascinations

IV - _The Diary of Jonathan Flynn._

It's funny, I never met him: Captain Garland. Everyone talked about this great man, the only one who could lead humanity to the stars. As I sit and think about it you would have to be some kind of superhuman to keep all those egos in check...

...He's a monster, we brought him with us. I thought he was my friend, one of us, but after what he did i'm surprised they left any of us alive. As we come to the end of it, as I face never again sitting with a cup of tea and writing the details of our journey I have to wonder. What would have happened to humanity if we had never interfered?

Chapter Four: _Mascinations_

Earl

Earl's head was thumping, the pain in his leg was scratching at his consciousness as he lay on the cold metal table top. He kept his eyes closed hoping his tormentor would think him still knocked out. The sudden cold sensation that swept over his leg forced him to open his eyes. Staring groggily down he watched as a young woman spread the cooling liquid over the torn flesh of his leg. "It's a simple medicinal compound, it will help it heal" The voice was quieter and calmer than the harsher tone of his earlier inquisitor, Earl relaxed a little. "Where am I?" There was a pause, Earl caught sight of the young woman glancing nervously at the man stood behind him. He craned his neck to try and catch sight of him. "You truly do not know?" The man's head appeared suddenly at Earl's side, making him jump, he winced as his leg moved. "No, sorry… I know that seems to be annoying everyone." The man tutted, "the most audacious and not to mention expensive venture in mankind's joint histories and you have no idea you are aboard it. Forgive me but as much as I detest my colleague's methods I understand his scepticism." Earl tried to turn to address the man, to try and explain, as he'd been unable to do with the other man. As he tried he noticed the restraints, "hey..."

"Your leg is broken, and not cleanly, it is a precaution to keep you still, and until we know your motives, one of the conditions of our chief of security, Commander Yang." Earl shuddered at the mention of him, "I am Director Lal, chief of surgery on-board."

"So this is a ship, I saw it being built on your screen, looked like no ship I ever saw."

The man who had until that moment been pacing the dingy metal cell came to sit at the foot of the table Earl was strapped to. He motioned the woman away, "thank you Sarita I will finish this." He took up the binding of Earl's leg and the woman nodded quietly and left. "Thankyou" Earl muttered as she passed, then turned his attention back to the man. "I am going to assume sir that the cryogenic process has led to some form of temporary amnesia. Ordinarily I would keep you here for observation and think no more of it, stranger things have happened with applied cryogenics. However whilst you were out I had a chance to check the crew manifest. You're not on it." Earl stared at the man, he was talking softly whilst calmly finishing the wrapping never taking his eyes of Earl's leg. With a nod of satisfaction he finished, "that should do. Now you see, with you not being a crew member, I have to worry as to who you are. Now I have no doubt your memory will return but so that you feel comfortable resting that leg I want you to be aware of two things, the first is that we have departed and you are in space, with nowhere to go. The second, outside that door is a corridor, along that corridor is this ship's bridge, on that bridge is our mutual friend Commander Yang, to whom you shall go if you leave this med bay whilst I am gone. Understood?" Earl nodded mutely, feeling thoroughly sick at the whole affair, a few hours ago things hadn't been nearly so complicated. "Your name. You do remember it?" "Yeah, it's Earl." Despite himself and the restraints Earl tried to extend a hand. Smiling Lal took it and gave it a light shake, "when your memory returns I am sure we shall sort this whole thing out, in the meantime you must rest," he placed a small pad in Earls hand, "press that button if you need anything, Sarita is only next door."

Earl nodded, if nothing else he was better off in the care of this doctor than that evil Commander.

Tom

They raced back down to the central sphere they had all started from. Skidding into the area they paused, "its brighter in here, lights are turning on" Jonathan whispered, suddenly nervous. "Guess whatever owns this thing is waking up", was Tom's muted response, he had been watching space float by a lot longer than Jonathan, he'd had longer to think. He saw Jonathan's eyes widen as the same thought he had had earlier forced itself into his new friends head, "whatever... you think... they're not human?" Tom shrugged, "well you ever heard of NASA making something like this?" He moved to the control console where they had left Earl. "Well I just kinda guessed it was some kind of CIA thing, or... I dunno, we were in the future or something." Jonathan mumbled the last almost to himself, steadily losing confidence. "Truth is" Tom continued, "We don't know anything, and pretty soon I reckon this place is gonna be swarming with this ships owners. Right now what we need is leverage, something to keep us alive, I say we try and find a gun, or at the very least something important we can threaten to break." he finished matter of factly and waited for Jonathan to catch up, he was really young Tom suddenly realised, he was going to have to look out for him. He hadn't really stopped to think about it much, he was too busy trying to survive, but this could be just about perfect for him, there was no IRS in space. He stood up from where he'd been leaning near the control panel, ignoring the various blinking lights. "C'mon." He strode off in the only direction they hadn't tried, and which was currently the least well lit. Jonathan followed mutely but soon he started asking questions, slowly at first but then as quickly as his mind worked, "but the panels were in English, and everything's set up so easily. Why a gun? Should we mess with a space ship, Tom where are we going?" The last question finally brought him to a halt. "Right, well I figure lights mean aliens and we know what doors no.1 and 2 lead to so I figure door number 3." With that he slapped the door controls and strode through. He stopped suddenly, throwing his hand out to stop Jonathan. The corridor was the same as most of the others, narrow, long with a few doorways spaced at the sides before the next hatch. But the door directly to their right as they stepped in, the one Tom now found himself directly in front of was lit. He kept his arm taught, struggling to keep Jonathan back, somewhere in the back of his mind he wanted Jonathan to keep thinking it was aliens. Through the narrow window in the doors frame Tom was staring at proof he was wrong.

Jonathan freed himself, poking his head up next to Toms he stared in, "hey its Earl" he whispered. Suddenly Tom recognised him, the man lying prostrate on the cold table at the rooms centre was one of their companions. It should have been obvious, the 'crewman' standing over him was wearing entirely more appropriate dress for space than Earl. "We should go in, introduce ourselves if they've met Earl they..." Jonathan was cut short as the man inside the room suddenly lunged at Earl slamming a bar into Earls broken leg, "what the fu..." Jonathan's hand shot for the door control, Tom restrained him, he had been staring at Earl, Earl knew they were there, he was staring right at him, mouthing, "no". "We have to go Jonathan." Tom spoke softly, not wanting to move even as he said it. "But Earl..." Tom tried to pull himself together, "he wants us..." He was hyperventilating, he could feel the same panic as before this whole thing had happened. How could he have thought this was a good thing! Jonathan was still struggling, "let go of me!" Tom wrenched him back through the hatch, "no don't go, don't leave." He felt his vision fogging up, he couldn't concentrate. He needed to get out of this stupid tin can! A hiss from behind him sealed it, someone was coming through the hatch. Without thinking he grabbed Jonathan and dragged him back through the hatchway, passed the lit door where they now heard faint screams. He surged down the corridor, panic giving him strength. He slammed into the next hatch, scratching frantically at the control, it flashed red and buzzed sharply, Jonathan who was beginning to share his panic tapped Tom's shoulder, "It's locked, look down there!" Tom turned quickly, Jonathan was pointing down to a pipe that ran under the causeway they were stood on, "we can slide down under it, right up to the hatchway and out!" It looked tight but they could hear the footfalls of whoever had come through the hatchway into the next corridor, they didn't have time, "ok let's go!"

Liz

She had thought they were in a submarine, but the room before her was the size of an amphitheatre, its high edges filled with banks of green glowing machines that cast their light upon a central stage of enormous trees, surrounded by rows of ferns and other plants, the smell of life was intoxicating. "Nature has that effect on the best of us." The voice was the same quiet one from behind her. Liz turned quickly, it belonged to a beautiful woman, two strands of beads tied in her hair the only distinguishing feature not rendered bland by a facet-less jumpsuit. But Liz could see it anyway, she was stunning. She moved slowly into the room coming to a stop next to Liz, resting on a vine covered railing for support. She smiled at Liz's evident concern, "little too much sleep," she smiled, "evidently not a problem for my children though." She gestured about with a smile, "they were meant to hibernate too, it will mean a good deal of work to care for them now they are grown." Liz stared at the woman, somehow despite her soft voice and gentle smile Liz believed she would relish the challenge of rescuing this overgrown greenhouse.

She moved forward into the room, pushing some ferns aside she pulled out a white metal suitcase. Liz watched mutely as she pulled out instruments and connected wires, "i wonder how extended artificial gravity has affected them." Liz stayed silent, assuming she was talking to herself, "I'd have imagined the trees especially would have struggled in the low light, I wonder where they are getting their energy." Liz stayed routed to the spot, "thoughts?" She stammered as the woman turned from her crouched position by the suitcase and stared at her, "um... sorry, I never was much good at biology." The woman, rose and walked over, placing one of the instruments in her hand, "well this will start you off." Liz stared down at the readout, she'd seen something similar at the gym, it calculated whatever data you put in it but heavens knew what data it needed. "Just type what I say." the woman smiled, "my name is Deirdre." Liz typed and the machine beeped angrily. Deirdre laughed, a beautiful soft sound.

Liz was stunned, was this woman mad, how long would it be before she realised Liz couldn't possibly be meant to be here. "Sorry... erm… Deirdre, but i'm, well i'm." Deirdre turned waiting patiently as she spoke, "well i'm Liz, I guess." She stammered to a stop. Deirdre smiled, "pleasure Liz, now follow me." Dutifully Liz followed, typing in numbers every-time the woman read them out, moving from plant to plant, smiling when she told stories, and as she calmed into her role even reciprocating and giving opinions where she could. The woman's clear confidence and friendliness was starting to calm Liz, despite everything that had happened and was still happening this somehow felt so normal, like gardening with your aunt.

They were in amongst the tallest of the trees, beautifully slender pines when Deirdre suddenly rose and turned to her. "Don't look now dear, but up at the hatchway is a... colleague of mine, our security chief." Liz gasped, when had she called security? She took a couple of steps back from the woman, she had to escape! Suddenly Tom and Jonathan and Earl all came rushing back into her head, what had she been thinking playing in this garden whilst they were all out there somewhere. Deirdre moved up to her, "now now, don't panic." Liz stared at her, "look I tried to say!" she pleaded, the woman smiled, that infuriatingly welcoming smile, "I know, I know, if nothing else having to train you to use a tool every six year old knows how to handle tells me you're not supposed to be here." Liz's heart was racing, what was going on, "then what's happening?" The woman moved closer to her, glancing up at the gangway she whispered conspiratorially, "more on that later, but i've seen you're a decent sort and I never thought we were open and fair in selecting crew, everyone should have had a chance to come, not just Morgan Industry's favourites, so i'm going to help you."

"Commander!" The voice bellowed from the bottom of the high walkway the two women now occupied, "you're awake, who is that with you?" Deirdre pushed past her, "my assistant, if you hadn't noticed Yang we're somewhat diverging from planned growth here," she gestured around expansively. "Come along now..." "Liz" Liz hastily filled in for Deirdre as she suddenly fell silent. She could see Yang's scepticism, Deirdre shrugged, "well what do you expect when Morgan insists I take on his corporate vulture graduates, hurry up whatever your name is." Liz let her breath escape slowly as she saw the faint smile creep onto Yang's face, "don't let these drones affect you too much my dear." He paused then turned to leave, Liz could have cried for joy, she was all right. "Oh and uh, watch out for stowaways, it appears we have saboteurs on board, I will be sending Santiago round to collect everyone's ID chips when she has returned from the engine room." Liz's heart sank, ID chip! She could almost feel the smile on the man's face as he walked away, she was doomed.

She followed Deirdre in silence back up a muttered as they neared the top. Liz collapsed against a wall, letting the humming machine set in its surface vibrate through her, a soft current of air ran across her face from a vent above. Deirdre turned, "Liz, sorry about this but for now you have to stay on your own, my word is as good as ID at least for now, anyone comes, especially that Jackal Corazon and you tell them I have had it removed, they know my distaste for the things." As she talked she rummaged in another box and turned suddenly, with a flash she jabbed a sharp point into Liz's forearm, Liz yelled and fell to the floor, "and there's the proof, its the best I can do." Liz clutched her arm and watched as the woman walked hurriedly in the direction the man had left in, "keep working!" She shouted back from the doorway, though whether she meant it for Yang's benefit or hers she did not know.

Jonathan

He'd lost Tom. The pipe had worked, worked too well, it had had seals just like the hatches, they'd opened it and slid right under the feet of whoever it was who was heading for Eric's room. Eric, Jonathan couldn't believe it, not only where they on board a strange space ship but the crew were torturing one of their friends! Worse than that, after the first hatch he'd lost Tom. The pipe had angled down, he'd gone flying into darkness, Jonathan had slid after him but got caught in the pipes grating. Tom had flown straight through it, out onto a wide deck. Jonathan was all turned about but he was sure this was past the place he had seen all the bathtub pods. He'd been trying to get down to Tom when someone had lunged out of the dark, they'd dragged Tom off and left Jonathan hanging from the ceiling in a cold dark room.

After a few more minutes struggle Jonathan realised he wasn't getting out, he tried to turn his body, being careful to keep his neck free of the tubing and cables that were holding him suspended from the ceiling. Pulling his legs underneath him he forced himself back up into the pipe. Crouching low with his head pressed against the pipes roof he stared up the chute he had come down, no way back up there. He ducked his head out of the pipes vent, he couldn't get fully out, the mesh of wires was too thick, but it looked like he could follow a second route along the wall. He began to crawl, the pipes were all covered in some kind of gunge, he hoped it was something clever to do with the electronics but in his head he was climbing through a sewer without the smell.

He crawled slowly, feeling ahead for any sudden drops. The work of crawling was monotonous, the darkness only brightening when he came across another cable clustered vent. He decided they were clearly just to keep whatever it was he was crawling over cool, rather than allow anyone access. He hoped Tom was ok, and Earl, this whole day had been messed up from the start, he wished he knew just what the hell was going on. He'd love to just be sat about on the grass in his yard right now. He stopped, why was he thinking about grass. He suddenly realised, he could smell it, the closer he got to the next vent the stronger the smell of plant-life became. As he reached the opening he stared in and couldn't stop himself from yelling, "Liz?!"


	5. 5 A Snake Without a Head

_V – The Diary of Jonathan Flynn_

"Today was a good day, today nobody died. I often wonder in the retelling of these early days will they mention just how many people we lost. How many bright lights will never dazzle us again. More than that, when i go will anyone remember the true story behind humanities now near mythic recreation. An then i stop and i wonder quietly and hopelessly, will anyone remember me... or Earl.

I still think of him, the first of us. His simple logic and straightforward heroism in those first hours. Will anyone truely know him or any of us. Or will we fall by the wayside of human events like so many of the countless thousands who pass away just like us.

And then i turn away from these thoughts and look out of my cell, today was a good day, today nobody died... but me."

Chapter 5: A Snake Without a Head

**Tom**

"talk very quickly or i will slit your throat." Tom was on his knees, a strong female hand gripped his shoulder and a sharp knife edge rested against his throat. Tom tried not to panic and spoke as quickly as he could think, "we came aboard, we're not meant to be, we don't really want to be, we're not hear to cause you any harm, we just want to go home, we're sorry, don't slit my throat."

"how did you get aboard?" The woman insisted, Tom still could not see her face but he imagined it to be severe and very cruel. "I don't know, one minute we were at home the next i'm falling out of an air duct. "How many of you are there." Despite his situation Tom wandered how much he should say, feeling his hesitation she tightened her grip on the knife causing it to dig into his skin, "four. Just four of us." "Hmm" the woman considered him, "what training have you recieved, whom do you work for." Tom was sweating heavily now, "I work for Subcom, worked i should say. We err make sim cards for phones, i'm trained on the phones too but i never take calls, i hate customers." The woman laughed sharply, "phones? You've no training, none at all, your a liar and a stowaway and probably a sabateur." Tom tried to shake his head but stopped as the knife dragged slightly over his skin, "now how did you really get here, what is your mission?" She put her knee to his back and Tom yelled as his body was bent forward.

Though he couldn't work out why Tom was suddenly infuriated by this whole situation, it wasn't fair. He turned to look up at her, her face was dark and if he hadn't been so angry he might have thought beautiful. "Now look, i didn't ask to come on this ship, i only just found out i'm stuck in space, for a long time i thought i was going to be experimented on by aliens but it turns out its just a load of knife wealding psychos who hit people with broken legs and ask stupid questions about 'training'. To be perfectly honest i've had a rotten day so far, i lost my job, my wife, who it turns out never really loved me as much as that Texaco guy and now it seems i'm set to loose my life without ever really knowing what the hell is going on. So here's a thought why don't you take that bloody knife out of my face and tell me what the hell is going or just end it now because i'm sick of always being the butt of all lifes bloody jokes!"

There was a long pause, Tom began to shake waiting for the knifes edge to cut swiftly across his throat. But suddenly it was removed, The hand on his shoulder flipped him round so he was on the floor beneath the towering woman. She scowled down at him, her dark eyes assessing him cooly. "You're an imbecile, and you _will_ die here." He stared at her as she turned to look up the corridor. She spoke quickly, "unless you do everything i say, come with me."

She stalked off up the corridor. Tom stood slowly, his legs shaking, how the hell was he still alive. He stood watching her march away. Suddenly she stopped and stormed back to him, her knife soaring up under his chin. "Now listen, without a word i can blast you from the nearest airlock and everyone will say it was for the best. If you really are here by accident then your only chance is to do as i say. That means coming when your told got it!" Tom nodded, "yes ma'am." The woman nooded in satisfaction, "right come along, i am Lieutenant Santiago your new commander."

Tom shuffled along behind the woman, he tried not to look back up to the ceiling and the piping he had fallen from, he'd seen Jonathan vanish behind him when he fell, hopefully Jonny was in better shape than he was right now.

As they made their way back toward the console room where they'd lost Earl they began to bump into more and more people. Some yawned and saluted, Tom kept his eyes down and tried not to look conspicuous. But he couldn't help but stare at some. The first few had seemed normal enough, dressed as he now was in simple dark uniforms bearing Earls "toothbrush" design on the lapel. But more and more he saw men and women with shaven heads, wearing bright orange jump suits trudging up and down. His new commander seemed to have no time at all for these other workers, striding through them despite the narrow walkway and muttering "useless drones".

They finally reached the destination Santiago had been searching for. He was confronted with a vast metal room. The entire bulk of it shaped like a giant smooth hour glass. A suspended walkway skirting the narrow central section. The woman walked along the narrow gantry out the circular walkway and immediately started tapping on the controls. The room began to hum and hidden metalic drums started to rumble. Throughout all of this Commander Santiago muttered and swore in an unbroken monologue of what Tom think he recognised as spanish or maybe portuguese.

She slammed a fist into a top panel and shouted, "Ulrik!" before Tom had a chance to offer his name a disconnected voice came over the intercom, "still catching his beauty sleep is that you Corazon?" Santiago cursed, "ahh good" the voice continued evidently recognising her. "I have discovered a sabatour on board, is the engine room secure?" Santiago glanced over her shoulder at him and continued, "yes no evidence of tampering here, though some odd fluxuations in the power grid." There was a pause, "continue your observations but return to the bridge shortly and bring an ID scanner i believe there may be more stowaways on board."Yes sir"

Santiago slammed the poor computer panel again and brought up another display, without turning she bellowed, "Right, Private..." she paused expectantly, "err Thomas, Thomas Matson" "Private Matson you will report to storage locker A-1032" she turned and pushed a small piece of glossy seethrough plastic into his hand. Stenciled on it was what looked like a layout of the ship, as his hand brudhed over it it zoomed in on his selection. "Once there you will select the correct uniform for the security service, you will collect an ID scanning kit. You will take a blank ID from the secure locker and test the ID scanning kit. You will then proceed to the bridge to begin scanning all ID's as per Commander Yangs instruction. Am i understood?"

Tom nodded, "crystal clear." Santiago paused and in a much softer voice that somehow seemed even more unsettling she said, "things are liable to get very interesting here very soon. If this reactor is any sign of things to come. Just remember where your loyalty lies, you have no other ties to this ship but me."

Tom nodded and hurried out of the room. He quickly found the search function on the strange computer pad he'd been given and typed A-1032 deliberately into it. A dot appeared on the schematic and a large red arrow hovered transparently over the whole page. As he moved the tablet the arrow changed direction. He held it up to his left and the arrow pointed him along it. He began to follow it along.

He passed an increasing number of people on his way along, mostly drones which he ignored. On arriving at the storage facility the door was barred but the helpful peice of plastic brought up a symbol of the door and showed him where to wave it. Doing so gained him entry.

He quickly found a uniform and the ID scanner. He pulled a blank card out of the slot and suddenly he realised Santiago's intention. He locked the storage door behind him and quickly built an ID for himself, Private Matson, Security. The machine was simple enough to use but before it spat out the completed card it froze, the panel near him flashing red. He turned the machine about in his hand and saw a small hole had opened on the far side. He looked back at the panel, again a helpful image showed a hand entering the device. "Must be an ID stamp or something," he muttered placing his hand in the slot. A strap suddenly shot round his hand and pulled it in, a long metal bar shot from the machine up to just above his elbow and with a sudden painful jab injected him. He yelped but could not disengage himself from the machine. The metal bar retracted and at last he was freed.

He swore and threw the scanner to the floor, rubbing his arm he glanced down at the display. It was asking him to scan his arm. Grumbling he picked up the device and scanned. It beeped and his name appeared on screen next to a bar code. "Well thats that at least."

He put three more blank cards in his pocket, he'd have to find Liz and Jonathan but first he had to get to the bridge. Maybe he could even get in to see Earl, clear his name.

Plans were forming a mile a minute in his mind, he had to be careful though. That dangerous woman had pointed him in this direction, she must surely know he'd think of using this machine for his own ends. And what had she seen on that computer screen that had worried her enough to recruit him? He shouldered the ID scanner, at least for the moment he was safe, he just had to find the others.

**Jonathan**

"What the hell liz?" Jonathan was now crouched in a patch of what looked like broad beans. Liz had pushed him in there as soon as he'd dropped down into her garden room, "shh! Look i kinda got stuck here but this woman saved me from this security goon, its not safe here you've got to hide!" Jonathan gawped, "so what, your safe so bugger off, what the hell!" Liz shook her head, "no no but look i think its going to get her in a lot of trouble as it is. But once i'm ok i can vouch for you. Look this things big, before she went she pointed me to the control panel, it works like Earls." Jonathan couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Liz, we have to get out of here, you can't be serious!" Liz scowled, "will you just listen a minute and don't trample the beansprouts!" she hissed, "this is a colony ship, on its way to a planet called Chiron. Everyone on board was chosen specially, you can't hide amongst them, they've all got jobs to do, they've got ID chips and they pretty much all know each other!" Jonathan made to interupt but Liz hushed him, "thats not all, this ship wasn't meant to be around forever, they're gonna abandon it when they get to the planet which Deirdre says, if they're awake, must be real soon! We could hide but when they leave they take everything with them!" Jonathan shook his head, "what about everyone else Liz, i'm glad your ok but Earl, he's in a bad way, they've got him and they're hurting him, these people are monsters!" Liz shook her head, "no no, Dierdre she's nice, she protected me." Jonathan gestured at her arm which was slowly dripping with blood, "and that?" "She did it to protect me, you need some kind of ID, i guess it goes under the skin."

Jonathan was thinking quickly now, "you can't trust her Liz, you have to come with me!" Liz looked torn, "i know, but i think i've got a better chance here Jonathan, better for all of us. I'm sorry about Earl but i have to belive i stand a better chance of helping him by helping them." Jonathan sat back against one of the stakes holding up a plant. It felt odd to be amongst vegetables in space. "Right, ok, well stay safe i guess. No, your right, better here than climbing through air ducts with me. But i've got to find the others, Tom and Earl have both been taken and theres that other guy we haven't even seen! I'll get them and come back to you, we can bunker down and sort this thing out. Liz nodded, "i'll get Deirdre to speak for you, then i'll send you a signal so you can come out." Jonathan nodded, "ok, well don't take too long ok!" Liz lunged forward giving him a tight hug. "Good luck!" He stood up and walked to the edge of the room, pulling at the panelling he revelaed another pipe hatch. He needed to get to those storage rooms of Tom's, he'd find a uniform, blend in and somehow... he didn't want to think too far ahead. With a smile to Liz he dropped down the shoot in what he hoped was the right direction.

**Earl**

This was a nightmare. He lay strapped to the cold table, that strange man who'd called himself Lao or Lol or something, had turned the light off as he'd left and here he was sat alone and in the dark. He toyed with the idea of pressing the button, maybe trying to talk that woman into letting him go. But he wasn't really sure who the buzzer would bring.

He was desperately trying to think. It seemed like there were two factions here at least. That bloodthirsty security cheif Yang and the two medical people. They evidently didn't see eye to eye or he'd still be being tortured. But that didn't make them friends.

He wondered how the boys were getting on and that poor girl, what was her name Lisa? He gave the straps an experimental tug, nothing doing. As he struggled he suddenly noticed his leg. The swelling was gone and he could no longer feel fresh blood pooling in his clothes. The bone, though still aching seemed less painful. Top of the range medical treatment at least, every cloud.

There was a hiss at the door, Earl flinched as he heard the rasping tones of the chief of security. A strangely familiar voice shouted back in ascent, saying he would get to the bottom of it, bottom of what? A man in dark black uniform with peaked cap and what looked like a train conductors ticket machine strode into the room.

Earl nearly passed out, "Tom?!" he whispered hoarsly. "what in gods name... what are you dressed as?" Tom closed the door and rushed forward. "No time for that now, are you ok?" Earl looked down at his leg, "yeah, all things considered, whats going on?" Tom was pulling at one of his arm straps and quickly moved his hand into the ticket machine. "hey..." "Hold still," Tom ordered. "Look, this is some kind of military ship and they're all up in arms about us lot stowing away. I just got ordered by some nut job in a jumpsuit to interogate you and then dispatch security squads all about the ship. Apparently someone's even gotten into one of the escape pods. And no one can find the bloody captain of the rig so they're all just running about like headless chickens."

A bar of metal shot out of the machine and suddenly jabbed Earl in the arm, "oww! And whats that got to do with my arm!" Tom shushed him, "Its an ID chip, everyone here has one, now we do too. You can't be security like me cos Yang already knows you and Santiago won't vouch for you so i've made you a drone. Its the only other type of person i know and no one seems to pay them much mind anways." Earl laid back, "i have next to no idea what your on about. Do you have a plan?" Tom nodded, "I'm going to get each of you an ID then we just have to lay low. I overheard on the bridge that our destination is coming up fast. They must mean to land and then we just scatter!" Earl grunted, "scatter, great plan." Tom scowled, "look its complicated, they know who we are and what we're about, its harder than just, ‚so long and thanks for not killing us on sight.'" Earl nodded, "fine, so let me out of these restraints and we can work on scattering." Tom shook his head, "i'm sorry but you'll have to stay here for a while." He saw Earls expression, "look its ok, your a drone which means your meant to be here. And you were here the whole time the escape pod was triggered so there's no way you were involved in that. Just try not to say too much, they don't do much of that." He paused and looked at him, "turned out well actually, you don't have any hair anyway, just like them."

Earl gave him an exasperated look. "Sorry Earl but seriously, stay here, i'm working on finding the others then we'll get you out ok, hang tight!" He turned and moved tot he door. As the hatch slowly closed shut behind him he could hear Tom shouting orders to what he presumed were security personel. How the hell had this even happened.

Earl thumped his head back against the table and stared at the ceiling, as his eyes fell on the air vent above his head his jaw dropped, "oh you have to be kidding me!"

**Liz**

She was a bunch of nerves, Jonathan's visit had reminded her just how bizarre their situation was. They were in space! And right now the only other people who knew who she was and had any idea how she got here were either captured or scurrying about in airducts like some kind of comic book alien.

She moved restlessly around the chamber, taking readings almost instinctively and not checking the results. She heard the sound of steel capped boots before she caught sight of them. Four men all in black uniforms with peaked caps. The one who clearly was the leader barked an order and the others fanned out. Liz pulled herself as quietly as she could behind the largest of the pines, surronded by ferns she hoped she might just pass them by.

As the largest of the men started wading through the ferns approaching her hiding spot the leader at the top of the stairs was suddenly assaulted, "Where on earth do you find the nerve!" Dierdre, no longer dressed in the simple uniform she had worn in cryogenic sleep, was resplendant in a green dress, her hair still tied in the elegant beads. "This laboratory is the only thing keeping us from suffocating in space and you let your thugs stomp all over it!" The poor commander was shrinking back from the onslaught, "And look at you, a private! A bit upperty for a private to go ordering his fellow personel around, i am commander Dierdre and i demand an explanation!" She turned and bellowed into the room, her voice carrying an amazing power for someone so softly spoken, "you men there come back at once you will destroy all our work, and what have you done with Liz!" The commanding officer seemed to visibly flinch at that name and he shouted at first hoarsly then with more confidence, "men, back up here on the double. If the Commander has checked this area we can be confident it is secure." He turned to Dierdre and began to speak quickly and in earnest, though Liz could not hear a word. They began to walk down toward her position behind the trees, it was clear he was apologising.

"Liz! Liz dear come out would you." Dierdre's voice had returned to its normal musical lilt. Very slowly Liz pulled herself from the trees. She dusted down the white jacket she had pulled from a supply cabinet, she'd thought it made her look more 'sciencey'. Dierdre smiled, "Liz, Private Matson here was just explaining how he has come to search for sabateurs and is ID-ing all crew members." Liz went very pale and started to shake but she continued to move deliberately until she was level with Dierdre. "Now i explained to the private that i didn't much care for your boss inflicting you upon me and had taken your ID from you." Liz nodded mutely, "He has been very understanding... for one of Corazon's dogs", she muttered the last almost inaudibly and coughed, "so understanding that, he has offered to renew your ID for you, kindly give him your full name and rank as Assistant." She smiled warmly and gestured Liz toward the man who was now brandishing a black box with a hole at one end.

Liz looked up at him and stammered... "T...Tom?" She coughed loudly seeing Deirdre's slight frown, "Elizabeth! My name's Elizabeth Jones" From under his peaked cap Tom looked pale but releaved. He silently went about inputting the data and after the machine had jabbed her in the arm he handed her an ID card, "try to keep hold of this," he muttered to her and then turning to Dierdre he saluted, "sorry about that Commander, we'll be on our way."

Dierdre watched him go. "One of yours i take it?" She muttered absently as he ushered the last of his men out, "he's doing quiet well, salute leaves something to be desired." She smiled, "what absolute anarchy! I imagine we'll hear all about it when Miriam surfaces, 'Oh we must dissent!'" Dierdre warbled the last and waved her arms in mock agitation. Then turning saw that Liz was still shaking. "Oh my dear you simply must develop a better poker face, i though you'd blow the whole thing." Liz stammered, "you knew!?" Dierdre laughed, "well not immediately, but no member of the security core backs down that easy, as soon as he heard your name he didn't even ask why i'd removed your chip!" She placed a bag down on the table, liz hadn't even noticed she'd been carrying it. "oh and you did call him Tom of course, unless Liz is a recent affectation." She chuckled again.

"Here, you can take off that silly lab coat and put these on. I've a few more jobs for you and then i think we'd best get up to the bridge, i passed Santiago at the reactor room and it looks like we're close to Chiron."


	6. 6 The Death of Unity

_V – The Diary of Jonathan Flynn_

"I found him, it took me more time than i thought i have but i found him. Fourth nexus down, Socialism Tunnels. There he was like a bright and gloroius sunrise i had fogotten i had know. Domai was true to his word. I'm learning a lot about how my friend has lived over the past months, how he has suffered and been exploited.

I am sure Tom would find some clever way to combat it, he seemed of late to be all plans and mascinations but my goal was simple. I would not fail him again. I would recover Earl's body if i had to blast my way right through the heart of the Hive."

Chapter 6: _The Death of Unity_

**Tom**

The walk to the bridge had been a terrifying one. Yet the more he thought about it the more confidence he gained. The drones instinctively got out of his way. He had the uniform, he had the ID. There really wasn't anything to say he wasn't exactly where he should be. He considered there might be some kind of ships roster, perhaps Santiago would be able to manipulate that perhaps he was truly safe?

His mind was still deep in thought as his clear plastic guide gave a subtle ping to announce his arrival at the bridge. He pressed the button on the bulkhead door and stepped inside. The room seemed to be an essentially larger version of the first control room they had entered, with the exception that this one was full of people all shouting.

Brandishing his ID scanner in front of him like a talisman he stepped into the room. Initially no-one noticed him and Tom felt truly hopeless, what the hell was he meant to do. Suddenly he realised, someone was shouting, "you! You! Yes you there!" He turned in time to see an angry Asian man march up to him. "Report at once Private!" Remembering himself Tom came to attention, he'd been in the cadets at school, he saluted as best he could. "ID scanner sir, Santiago sent me." "That's Lieutenant Santiago, Private!" The man snapped. "I have called the security teams to the bridge, once they arrive I want you to search the entire ship, we have saboteurs on board." Tom nodded, "Yes Sir." He saluted again for good measure. A man shouted across at them, "Commander Yang, someone has accessed the emergency eject procedures, I think they're prepping one of the colony pods!" Yang turned and bellowed, "override it now!" He rounded on Tom, "we need this parasite found and quickly Private." Tom nodded, "yes sir." Yang continued in a lower tone, "but before you go, there is someone else I wish you to scan." and turned and walked to the far side of the bridge gesturing for Tom to follow. He opened a hatchway at the far side of the room and waited for him to catch up. Seemingly immune to the shouting and clear dismay in the room around him he spoke again, gesturing through to the corridor beyond, "I want to know who he is and what he's doing here. If the scanner doesn't bring anything up, and I suspect it won't, use whatever persuasion you need to to get the answers out of him. I will keep that wet blanket Lal from interfering."

Tom stepped through and immediately recognised the room before him. It was Earls, "get to work private, we are the only ones who can save this initiative from total ruin!" Yang vanished back into the bridge and Tom pressed the button for Earl's cell.

He was quick in his explanation, perhaps too quick but he gave Earl an alias and hopefully that was enough. He stepped out of Earl's cell after what seemed like an eternity. Yang was long gone but before him now were a dozen men all in the same uniform as him. They all had the same dashes on their shoulders which marked them as privates. Tom took a risk, "Right! Split into four teams. I want two aft, two forward sweeping back to the centre. Who has ID scanners?" There was a deathly pause as Tom waited to see what would happen, then three men raised their hands, "good, one per team, stop everyone. You!" he pointed at one man, "go to storage A-1032 and fetch a scanner, join these two and search aft." He quickly dispatched the others. Saving four for himself. "Right you, report to the Commander on the bridge, tell him that the prisoner has checked out as a registered drone. I believe he is harmless. You three accompany me to the engine room we will begin our search there." The men quickly obeyed, yet again Tom thanked his uniform and marched off at the head of his small column of men, trying not to look lost or to show he was checking his tablet frequently.

He'd picked somewhere right at the back of the ship, there was only really the engine room and the hydroponics. He half hoped Santiago would be there and bail him out of this charade. A fellow private passed him a comm device. "I noticed you were missing yours… sir" he finished as Tom gave him a look. "Thank you private…" he paused as Santiago had, "Jackson sir." "Thank you private Jackson, good to know you." The man smiled slightly, "yes sir."

He placed the comm on his collar as Jackson had and heard the beep as he pressed it, hoping it was on he asked, "comm check, come in groups 1 to 3". He realised he'd not assigned numbers and prayed they'd continue playing along. At any moment he could completely sell himself down the river. He breathed again when all three came in one by one confirming. "Report any unusual activity or unknown individuals at once, take no action until confirmed." Confirmation came back at once, well that ought to give Jonny and Liz a chance at least.

He entered the engineering bay and was faced again with the impressive engine room. Santiago hadn't moved. "You men check the lower levels." Santiago turned as he gave the order. Tom could have sworn the briefest smile crossed her face, "Private Matson report!" Tom hurried over to her, saluted, to which she muttered, "you're doing that wrong, palm more out." Tom nodded and changed his salute. "Lieutenant I have four teams checking the whole ship, there is a saboteur accessing the colony pods", Tom spoke quickly and confidently but paused, "err, and we're looking for him." He finished lamely. Santiago nodded, "very good." She turned, "it looks like whoever accessed the cryogenics is already planning their escape. All the better, now we can access the colony pods ourselves and begin to plan our own arrival." Without further explanation she quickly began to arrange names on a roster. Tom could barely understand what was happening but it seemed she was gathering a significant list of names from the cryopods and placing them all in a single place. At the same time she seemed to be pulling together equipment lists, he saw the words Rover and Impact but again her fingers flew too swiftly over the controls.

She turned again to the engineering screen, "go to hydroponics, it's the next section over, we'll need additional seedlings, feel free to interrogate that treehugging biologist if you wish." She smiled and when Tom failed to move she muttered, "dismissed private." Tom saluted, properly this time and called out, "alright men let's move!" Again he swore he heard Santiago chuckle as he left.

**Jonathan**

"Pssst, Earl its me!" Jonathan placed his face as far out of the narrow pipe as he could. "I know its bloody you you idiot, what are you doing in a pipe!" Jonathan smiled despite himself. "It's all going mad out there, how are you?" Earl tried his best to shrug despite his restraints, "oh you know tortured and restrained, I'm bloody marvellous." Jonathan tried to punch the grate in front of him, "hold on I'll come down and get you out!"

"No, No! Stay where you are, Tom's been along." Jonathon stopped attacking the grill. Earl coughed, "Yeah got himself an SS uniform and everything. Look Tom's given me an ID chip or something, makes it look like I'm part of the crew so I should be ok, they'll likely leave me be. He's off to find you and liz and give you ID's too."

"I've found Liz, she's ok one of the crew is looking after her." Earl scowled, "find that hard to believe, don't trust them. Just find Tom and get an ID, he says we're landing soon so you're gonna need it."

Jonathan nodded. "Ok, I'll look for him, hang in there Earl!" He scurried away as quickly as he could, not hearing Earls muttered complaint at everyone telling him that and not having much bloody choice.

He quickly double backed to Liz, ever time he passed a grill in the pipe revealing the walkway below him he considered dropping out onto the deck and just walking there but more and more people were about and he kept seeing security uniforms rushing to and fro. He wondered how he'd find Tom and how the hell had he gone from being dragged away at knife point to being part of the team!

He arrived above the tree room and peered out. There didn't seem to be anyone about. Moving down carefully he arrived at the hole he'd jumped into previously. Pulling himself out he moved through the ferns and plant life slowly. "Good evening." A deep voice echoed. Jonathan's heart shot into his throat.

He swirled round and spied the man, slightly taller than himself and rounder in the midsection. He was quietly and quickly removing trays from the green lit machines that lined the walls. "I know what you're thinking." He continued unphased, "I really shouldn't be here." He turned quickly looking Jonathan up and down. "But judging by your appearance and the fact you also declined to use the front door, I'd say you don't belong here either."

Jonathan stayed absolutely silent, totally unsure how to proceed. "Allow me to introduce myself, " he continued calmly, "I am Nwabudike Morgan, you no doubt recognise the name. So you see everything that you see here is really mine and I have an absolute right to take it." He smiled, "of course Garland and his henchman would no doubt disagree." He finished taking the last of the trays out and stuffing them into a small metal case. "So here is where you come in my fellow stowaway. I'd like you to take this roster and go wake these people. It needs to be done manually. Get them to the pod that's listed here, they'll do the rest." Jonathan took the pad mutely. "Do this for me and I'll guarantee you a place in the new world. I don't know what you're running from but there is a better life for you on planet, trust me." He smiled again and reaching into his pocket flipped a thin metal rectangle at him. "for your trouble."

Jonathan wasn't sure but he got the distinct impression this was supposed to be money. He nodded silently and walked slowly back towards his pipe. "A brave new world my friend, we will lead the way." Jonathan wondered suddenly if the man was on drugs. He'd already decided to abandon the roster as soon as he was out of sight. He needed to find Tom, to find Liz, to get out of here.

He scuttled back down into the pipe and knocked the pad. A map of the ship suddenly appeared with a small red dot hovering over what he assumed was his proposed destination. Perhaps this thing would be useful. The top bar looked like a search function, it currently had all the names the man Morgan had listed clustered about it. In the dark security of his pipe he tapped the pad and brought up a keyboard. If he's part of the team, maybe he's on the map, Jonathan reasoned as he entered T-O-M into the pad. Over two thousand responses came back. He cursed under his breath. 'Thomas' then, a little under two thousand, why hadn't he asked his full bloody name! A little green symbol hovered near three of them. He tapped it and the word "active" hovered briefly above the name.

Two thousand Toms and only three active. Two it appeared were crawling in engineering spaces above the cryogenic bays and the other was currently on the bridge. That made his mind up, he started crawling through the pipe, back towards Earl, the bridge, and hopefully a way out of here. He'd just have to hope Liz's savior would come through for her.

**Liz**

Deirdre rushed up the corridor. Liz couldn't help but notice people were moving faster and faster. There was a distinct note of panic in almost every face. Well except the ones in yellow jump suits who seemed for the most part indifferent to their surroundings. They finally entered a large room which looked a lot like the room they'd lost Earl in. Liz hoped he was ok, she wondered about all of them, hopefully she'd made the right choice.

"Oh thank god you're here!" A woman with fiery red hair came rushing over to Deirdre, "sister I have terrible news!" Deirdre took the woman's arms in a half hug reassuring her, "what is it Miriam?" "Captain Garland is dead! They are saying he was assassinated!" Liz could see Deirdre was upset by the news, she seemed suddenly to weaken before her eyes. She wanted to reach out to her but kept as still as she could. "Do they know who did it?" Dierdre asked quietly. Miriam looked over to Yang and Lal who were amidst a storm of voices arguing vehemently. "It's a drone, they call him Earl. Lal wants to put him on trial, I think Zakharov wants to dissect him. Yang at least is being sensible, he wants to pass righteous sentence on that murderer!" Deirdre wiped a tear from her cheek, "calm sister, violence cannot beget violence." Miriam continued angrily, "but surely he must be avenged sister. Garland was the glue that stuck us all together, he was Unity! Now what will we do?"

At this point an angry looking woman in a black security uniform marched onto the deck followed quickly by an equally looking angry man sporting a black eye. "Where is the Captain?" She demanded. From the other side of the room Yang responded, "he is slain!" The woman seemed to take this calmly. "Commander Yang I have captured our saboteur." She gestured to the man beside her drawing everyone's attention to him. There was a sudden silence. "Morgan?" Yang muttered incredulously.

Morgan straightened his jacket and stepped forward. "Yes. I had always intended to join you, the fact that I was not 'elected' as a member of this crew hardly seemed reason not to go. Trust me ladies and gentlemen I know enough about government process to know how selection really works. I am here with a solution." He beamed at the assembled crowd. "As defacto owner of this vessel I propose myself for the position of Captain and request that all preparations be made to land immediately on Chiron."

The silence was leaden. Suddenly a dozen voices all began at once, almost all in outrage at the suggestion. Lal at last called order. "Sir this is a United Nations effort and control will revert to the senior officer on board. I believe that is yourself Deirdre." He gestured to Deirdre and Liz's eyes shot to the floor eager not to be spotted. "Might I suggest Commander that we ascertain the status of the ship and put a hold to any plans or investigations of the good captain's unfortunate demise."

This last statement sparked the fury of the debate again and at last Santiago rested conversation back to her. "I have assessed the engines and can confirm we have damage to the reactor. I cannot say who is to blame at this time," she made a poignant look toward Morgan" but simply continuing as normal is no longer an option. This ship is uncontrollable at this stage." A young looking pilot at the controls spoke up addressing Deirdre, "that's right commander, at this stage we're as good as dead in the water. We've full control over sensors and launch bays, cryogenics is ok but guidance and propulsion are fried. We've no rudder."

Yang suddenly took over, "So as you can see." He addressed the whole room, "we have no propulsion, no guidance and a proven saboteur aboard, not to mention a murderer restrained in the next room. We are one malfunction short of disaster. It is time for swift action. We do not have the facilities for United Nations dithering. We must punish Captain Garland's assassin and begin preparation for our landing on Chiron!" Miriam and many others agreed nosily despite Lal's attempts to contradict him.

Liz raised her head slightly, watching all the people shouting and arguing. Around the edge of the bridge an increasing number of silent men in black uniforms had appeared. They now seemed to outnumber those in the lighter jumpsuits in the bridges centre. She suddenly spotted Tom, stood amongst them looking distinctly nervous, baton in hand. Yang continued, his proclamation now in full swing. "This is an emergency, as such I assume full responsibility for the safety of this ship and its crew." He nodded to Tom who, looking deathly pale nodded to the man to his right. The security staff quickly advanced and placed themselves around Yang. "My first act will not be to execute the assassin as I would like, I assume the Captain's responsibility for fair treatment. He will be nerve stapled as a defective drone and returned to his basic parameters. All officers are to return to temporary quarters and the decks are to be cleared whilst we secure the ship against further sabotage and prepare pods for launch."

Yang gave swift direction to the soldiers nearest to him who marched quickly toward Earl's room. Lal was ushered out amongst shouted protests and even those who had supported him a moment ago looked taken aback by the abrupt coup. Tom looked ready to pass out. Liz stared at him anxiously and as she did she noticed the glint of metal in the hand of the woman next to him, Santiago. It appeared in her hand just above the pocket and then was gone. Suddenly a great groan rumbled through the ship followed by a heavy bang that threw them all sideways.

Voices cried out again, "the engines, the reactor has failed!" "Fire reported in the hydroponics bay!" A body thumped into her. It was Deirdre, moving suddenly clumsily. Her eyes wide with panic, "come on! That room is everything!"

They fled out of the nearest door, Liz stared straight into Toms' eyes, he was already turning toward the corridor with Earl's room, over all the shouting and rushing Liz screamed, "save him!" Then fled down the corridor with Deirdre.

She could not have been prepared for the sight of the hydroponics. Flames spouted from every surface and the once green machines now belched smoke and orange light. Deirdre rushed straight into the blaze, "the pines, we must save the pines!" Liz jumped up and down on the spot, desperate not to have to rush into the flames after her.

Seeing shadows behind her she called out for help. A group of terrified looking drones and technicians peering around the bulkhead. Remembering suddenly Tom in his military uniform she bellowed in as strong a voice as she could, "don't just stand there, help the lady!" She grabbed the nearest drone and threw them forward, rushing with them to Deirdre's side. Drawing level with her she screamed over the roar of the flames, "what do we do!" Deirdre, now covered in grey ash and coughing thrust three white trays into her hands, "save these above all else!" Deirdre was tapping franticly at a panel, name after name appeared and vanished on the screen, all sent to a location glowing green on the bright display. "There." She turned to the frightened drones many of whom had instinctively grabbed something, mimicking Liz's action. "Come friends, we can't stay here any longer, there is an escape pod put aside for us, it's time to leave.


	7. 7 Born of Flames

_V – The Diary of Jonathan Flynn_

"Its hard to explain how it felt on that first recon rover. The damn thing was all metal bars and restraining harnases. A gangly metallic hamster on wheels. Fit only really for charging around in circles as you tried to get in under control. "Unsafe at any speed" had quickly become the slogan." Still there was something romantic about setting off from the perimiter fence into the wild unknown.

My driver in those days had been Richard Baxter, a celebrity in his own right and together we'd had quiet a few adventures. Fought off the worms stumbled across dozens of life giving survey pods and even made a discovery or two about Chiron which all these years later its still not quite safe to write about.

Despite the trials of planetfall i have come to miss those simple days, where Richard and I simply survived, and considered nothing else."

**Tom**

Tom screamed and bellowed and gave frantic orders but nothing got him into the room. He scratched at the door and at last managed to collar another security officer dressed in black. "You there, here now, open this door at once!" The man tapped obediently at the door controls, "It's been overridden, I think they're processing that drone sir." Tom roared in helpless rage, "overridden! We're the security service, bloody override the override now!" The man obediently went to work on the panel, Tom paced, he looked up to the piping above the door, he'd smash his way through like before if he had to!

Suddenly there was a bright flash of red light and the door slid open of its own accord. Tom rushed through and forced his way passed the men inside. Yang was stood over the table, despite the risk he rushed past him too and stared down at Earl.

Yang ignored him, "the sentence has been carried out, note it in the log." He turned to the soldiers, "where is Santiago, we need to round up the other officers quickly to ensure they do not use this reactor crisis to flee, we're dangerously close to Chiron as it is."

The same officer Tom had been screaming at moments before spoke up, "she disabled two security staff and has disappeared sir!" Yang cursed, "well we do this without her then." He muttered, "Men, secure the ship, ensure no one leaves their quarters and send someone to ascertain how long we have before the reactor goes critical. And clear the bridge!" The men saluted and rushed from the room.

Tom had his hands on Earls head. Earl wasn't moving his eyes fixed on the ceiling, his mouth forming a small o as though his last experience was one of mild surprise. "It can be a shock to the young to see nerve stapling first hand." Yang's voice drifted to him. "He will recover, have no doubt. At the same time we strip away the nerves, we also imbed standardised programming. Of course I added a little extra in the subroutines for loyalty. A cocktail that all the drones bound for my pods will receive." Tom felt a tear running down his cheek and anger coursing through his veins. Yang seemed oblivious, "You were the one who found Morgan, excellent work. I need you to utilise your skills at capture and find Santiago, she is the only threat to my plans, find her and stop her do you understand."

Tom looked up, cold anger written on his face, "Perfectly sir." Yang smiled cruelly, "I see a lot of myself in you solider, our revolution is beginning!" He marched from the room as Tom's fists clenched. Already he could see the storage room, the arms locker and the rifle inside, already he could see his revenge coming.

He stalked from the room in a black rage, he didn't notice Earl stir, it wouldn't have mattered if he did, his eyes showed no recognition, they hadn't been programed to yet.

With deliberate speed he rushed to the security storage lockers. Using his security pass he entered then tapped his access card against the gun locker. His access was denied: Insufficient rank. He bellowed at the locker and kicked it hard. Then in a sudden burst of inspiration pulled the ID machine from his waist. Taking it up he placed his hand inside and quickly created a new identity, _Captain_ Matson could access the locker.

The machine whirred and buzzed then promptly denied him. He threw it to the floor and slammed his hand against the locker. "A good plan… here." Santiago rushed in and took up the machine. Tapping quickly she entered details and placed it over his hand. "By my authority as Colonel, newly promoted" she smiled, "I promote you to the rank of captain and update your ID accordingly." The machine beeped and flashed green.

Tom said nothing but turned and ripped open the now "access granted" locker door. He pulled out a rifle and cartridge. "I saw you rush to stop Yang, he is a fanatic, I understand, but revenge will only get you killed and you haven't the time."

Tom looked at her coldly, "I am going to go back there and I'm getting my friend and I'm going to shoot anyone that tries to stop me." Santiago placed a hand on his shoulder, "don't throw away your life, we are armed and Yang will be by now too. He will have seen that he can't secure the ship without it, people aren't doing what they're told." She drew level with him meeting his angry gaze, "I saw you were a survivor the first time I met you, you weren't afraid but you were angry." Tom threw off her shoulder and marched to the door. "That anger should have got you killed, I should have taken your life then but I didn't, you owe me that." Tom stopped his hand instinctively moving to his throat and tracing the raised skin of the knife mark.

"Do you know what nerve stapling is?" She asked quietly, "they strip away everything except the part that serves and the part that obeys. Your friend is gone. We have all lost friends but this new world is our chance to prove they cannot crush us too. This ship will fall apart soon and with it Yang's plans for dominance. If you truly wish to honour your friend, take the fight to him in the new world, destroy the reason your friend was made to suffer, destroy Yang's profit from it."

Tom was shaking, the gun pointing ever lower to the floor. The ship shook again and a low thunder of distant exploding metal echoed through the room. "We don't have much time, and truthfully I need you much less than you need me."

A man suddenly appeared at the door, "Colonel its time to leave!" He said with a panicked smile. "Alright Ulrik," Santiago hefted her weapon and walked past Tom to the doorway. "We've all had our hand forced by Yang, we all want to get him back for that. That makes us the same, we've survived that, we've survived everything life has thrown at us, we're survivors. It's your last chance."

Tom slung the rifle. Grimly he made up his mind, I'll see you later Yang, you'll pay for this.

**Jonathan**

As the ship shook Jonathan tried to calm the people around him. In the panic and confusion of the shaking ship and half the pods in the place just up and moving he'd found waking Morgan's minions fairly easy. They'd been the first to identify why the pods were moving. Those in control were ensuring their chosen disciples were on their escape pod before the automated system kicked in and just assigned them to the nearest station.

It had been a tough choice to actually act out Morgan's instructions but Jonathan's mind was made up. Crawling in his pipes he'd found Liz in tow with her savour, Earl was content to wait it out in jail and Tom. Well last he'd seen of Tom he was dressed to kill and storming round the ship. It seemed everyone had a plan but him. He'd felt stupid, he'd felt scared and suddenly he remembered he had a plan. He had a savour too. His little pad had provided him with enough evidence on Morgan. He really had funded the Unity project and the people he wanted weren't just friends and family, they were engineers, scientists.

Jonathan had collected them together and led them all to Morgan's Pod. The crew quarters and tight control cabin were surprisingly well furnished, he'd expected an escape pod to be more, well Spartan but it seemed Morgan liked to travel in style.

At the insistence of the gathered personal, all who seemed to think he was some kind of PA for Mr Morgan, Jonathan was waiting outside the pod doors hopping up and down in anticipation. Where was he?!

Suddenly the man appeared hurrying down the corridor. His eye was bloodied and bruises were clear on his face. "What the hell…" He waved Jonathan aside, "bigger problems now, is everyone aboard?" Jonathan nodded, "supplied loaded?" He nodded again, "everything's ready like you said." Morgan smiled, "excellent, so nice to have all the preparations made."

He turned and with surprising agility leap at Jonathan. With a great swipe he struck him down then leapt back behind pod bay doors. "It's absolutely nothing personal young man it's just I really don't know a thing about you, my little bugging device says you've no ID chip at all which means you really are much too much of a risk, good day."

With an evil smile Morgan hit a button on his side of the door and as Jonathans head still swam the pod doors closed. The compartment he was in began to flash red and an emergency horn blared loudly. Stumbling to his feet he staggered back to the outer doors just as they descended and watched through the tiny porthole in stunned silence and the first of the Unity's pods broke free of its restraints and roared for the planet surface he could now see opening before him.

Jonathan stared at it, somehow, though he couldn't imagine why, he'd expected to see earth out there. But the ever expanding view past the shrinking pod showed a red and angry planet. A mix of ochre, blood red, and the occasional flash of blue ocean.

An explosion far behind him brought his attention back to the now. He heard rushing footsteps away up the corridor and fled towards them. He didn't care if he was captured, he had to get off this ship, now! He left one corridor, through another and turned back to reach the next pod. He raced down the corridor towards the red flashing lights and hit the hatchway as it closed, though the small window pane at its top he saw the pod doors secure and behind its tiny porthole the long blonde hair he'd come to recognise so well. Liz!

Once again he was forced to watch as another escape pod flew from the ship's hull. As he watched he noticed other plumes of flame from other pods, everyone was leaving!

Not knowing where else to turn he raced along the central corridor. He had left Morgan's pad in the escape pod with the crew and had no idea where he was running too. He charged up stairways and along corridors as the ship shuddered and creaked amid sounds of tearing metal. He saw people rushing through doors and out of compartments but never got close enough to grab them. He emerged suddenly into a large circular room, similar in shape to the room he'd lost Earl in hours before.

Three men stood in this room, the tallest in the middle was shouting orders and franticly jabbing at controls. He turned as Jonathan raced into the room, skidding to a stop, "third panel, tell me what the reactor readout is!" Jonathan tried to turn to run back out, determined to find a pod, "now, now now!" The man screamed and despite himself Jonathan ran to the panel. An angry red graph proclaimed 68. "sixty eight!" Jonathan shouted, "what?!" The man bellowed back, "sixty eigh…" The man raced over, "That's impossible its…. Jesus." He strode back to his console. "How many more?" He asked one of the other men. "Showing all but one pod launched, it seems some launched automatically, there's some kind of virus in the system I've no control." "Yang!" The man cursed. "What about the remaining pod?" The man examined his screens, "docking malfunction, seems the doors were obstructed, it abandoned the launch rather than expose the interior of the ship to vacuum."

"So we should go!" The three men turned, Jonathan hadn't even realised he had shouted. "Go? This is the United Nations Ship Unity, I will not abandon her!" Jonathan looked out at the multiple viewscreens that covered one wall of the room, "everyone else is!" The man turned and scowled at the screens. "No, we have to rescue her." One of the other men glanced nervously at Jonathan, "I think he's right Previn, we can't stay! Perhaps we can program the ship to set down using autopilot?" Lal slammed his palms into the control panel. His head hung low, he sighed, "she was never meant to land, if we can't arrest her fall she'll disintegrate and all our hopes with her." The third man spoke suddenly, "sir, most of the pods have launched taking a significant amount of supplies with them. All together we could easily hope to build a stable settlement." "All together?" Lal almost laughed, "a beautiful dream, I was here when Yang crushed it." Jonathan put his hands out to stabilise himself as the ship rocked again, "what's wrong with you people, you have to survive, there's a pod and the reactors at…. Seventy one now! Launch the damn pod!" Lal looked up at him then toward the other two men, something seemed to change suddenly in him. "Your right, launch all remaining survey pods, set them for random dispersal, we don't know where those pods will land but they'll need every bit of help they can get. Have a Unity chopper placed into the remaining pod and come with me, we'll get that pod unblocked and pray we make it to land." He Placed a hand on Jonathans shoulder as they prepared to leave, "perhaps we can save the Unity yet, once we're together on Chiron."

Jonathan glanced over to the man whose words he seemed to be getting credit for but said nothing, as the ship lurched once more he was just glad to be getting out.

**Liz**

The gee force was incredible; it was like every teacup ride in the world rolled into one. Liz was sure she was going to throw up. All around her were thick soft chairs encasing equally queasy drones and technicians who had fled with her, some more singed than others from the flames.

Despite their abrupt flight Deirdre had regained her centre of calm. She tapped the controls of the pod with assured strokes. Liz watched the thin blue lines arching out on the screen and their own green line piloting a course between them.

When at last nothing stood between their line and the large purple sphere that was the planet Liz felt the engines slow and Deirdre turned in her seat to rest next to Liz. "Do you know what it is you carry?" She asked Liz gently. Liz looked down at the case she still clutched in her hands, no one had been able to force it out of her grip since Deirdre had thrust it upon her. "Pines?" Liz asked more than answered. Deirdre smiled, "White Pine, my favourite tree and the only luxury I permitted myself." Liz looked questioningly, "every seed we carry, every animal embryo, was selected for a purpose: To be hardy, to supply food, and yet to react as little as possible with native flora and fauna: To be controllable, not pests. The pines were never on that list, but they were beautiful, and I had to have them." Liz almost felt herself smiling, Deirdre's calm kind demeanour was so infectious. Deirdre smiled warmly and placed a gentle hand on her wrist, "we have everything we need here, industrial modules, terreformers, evac suits, modular housing and sensor arrays, everything to setup a fledgling colony. It was never meant to be used to build such a small settlement but it will do." She addressed the rest of the technicians and drones around her, "each one of you has brought a piece of the heart of our new lives, each has something valuable to bring." She turned and with another warm smile whispered to Liz, "but you alone have brought us beauty."

Liz smiled but faltered as she thought of the planet below, "but there's only," she looked round, "seven of us!" Deirdre's smiled was unwavering, "hidden in the depths of this pod are hundreds of souls, all frozen and ready to awaken on a new world. All loyal to principles that will see verdant forests grow and peace reign." Deirdre brought up a plan of the pod and Liz suddenly realised how huge it was, "so many people, they can't all want what you want?" She whispered whilst staring at the plan. "I gathered most of my followers during our convalescence." Liz turned from the screen confused. Deirdre laughed, "my dear you really are lost in space aren't you! Perhaps as you were not plugged in with the rest of us you missed the experience, it would explain your forgetfulness. The brain was never meant to stay in cryogenic sleep for long. The convalescence was our solution. Our minds would be woken whilst our bodies slept. We spent some years connected to each other in a ship wide network, able to work and socialise. It kept us active but also allowed me to gather supporters for something very important." "For what?" Liz asked breathless and rapt in attention, "I wanted friends who believed as I do, that nature should be treated as a friend not an adversary, that we should grow only what we need and not try to confront planet as an enemy. There were many who agreed with me and they all reside in the pods below us now." Her face darkened slightly as she looked back to the control panel, a multitude of blue lines still blinking htie rway to the planets surface, "It seems I was not alone in my thinking. Though I had always imagined my supporters would gather around me in our one city and we would talk others to our cause, it seems Yang was intent on destroying Unity and all those opposed to him. I fear for all of us on Chiron if he makes the landing.

Liz shuddered as she remembered the angry man form the bridge. She suddenly remembered Tom's face, she missed Jonathan, what had become of him and poor Earl, god how she hoped Tom had rescued him in time. What if she never saw them again? Instinctively she clutched at Deirdre's hand, with a smile the gentle woman pressed back and together they watched the new world approach them.

**Earl**

/ Drone activity level 1

/ Cortex function nominal

/ Class 3 damage to support structure, healing under way

/\/ Orders received: Assist Chairman Yang in escape of Unity.

\/ Manual labour process 1 – a to b with established load.

\/ Complete.

\/ New program initiated:

H - Parameters upgraded, operation profile = The Hive.


End file.
